Computer Applications for the Independent Musician

This project-based course introduces and explores the vast skill set necessary for the emerging independent musician to be successful in today’s music industry. Through individual and collaborative work, the arc of the course involves the creation of a class album which is used as the basis for the development of promotional materials, such as artwork, video, various types of text documents, a website, and a mailing list. Each student contributes a recording to the album, then works both alone and collaboratively to develop and customize a promotional package. By working together towards achieving a common goal through sharing ideas and skills, students develop their interpersonal, technology, and creative skills, giving them real-world experience inside the classroom. The course examines five key software areas: productivity; DAWs; image creation and editing; video recording and editing; and website creation. While skill building using various software is threaded throughout the course, the content is largely student-generated. Composition or songwriting skills are not necessary for the course, but intermediate level skills using a DAW (Logic Pro, Ableton, or Pro Tools) are highly recommended.